During NDB’s Winter Break, most classes allowed students to enjoy a break without assignments. However,there were some that required homework to be completed. While one of the rewards of finishing finals is the idea that the semester’s material will no longer be covered, homework can remind students that the rest of the year will continue to build off of the previously established information.
One instance of this being necessary is when AP classes need to help students retain the material for the upcoming AP exams. Since these classes are built around the idea that students should learn enough about the subject to pass a standardized test, the break can interrupt the flow of the lessons as well as provide an easy opportunity to forget information.
Another reason for including homework over Winter Break occurs when there was not enough time to finish a unit, which can lead to students trying to recall what they learned a month earlier for an assessment. However, if teachers can keep students thinking about the subject over the break, they will have a higher chance of recalling what was covered before the vacation.
While break homework can lead to better retention and an easier transition to the second semester, there are also negatives to this.
One of these is the fact that even with the assignments, students are more likely to forget certain material, which can make the following material and tests more difficult. This is especially true when a class is in the middle of a unit since students will be tasked with remembering information from the previous semester to build off of and for an assessment.
Another reason why many students may struggle to complete homework over Winter Break is because many travel during the holidays, which leads to less time for school assignments. While there initially seems to be a much longer period of time to complete them, students usually find that there is less time than they had initially anticipated. They want to use holidays as a time to be with family and friends and forget that there is still some work to be done.
However, although there are reasons why having homework over break would be difficult, there are just as many to support such an assignment. The benefits of having work are certainly enough for students to understand why they are assigned.
